Around 3 bucks a month for the cable card. Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 7, 2016, at 10:28 PM, John Robinson <[email protected]> wrote: > > Ed has been trying to get me to do this for ages, guess I procrastinate far > to much. Is the rental for the card costly? > > Guess I have always wanted to control this with Mac Mini’s, it would be my > first choice. IF the FCC comes through with Unlocking then it should be a > door Apple walks through. > > > > > >> On Apr 7, 2016, at 9:59 PM, Chris Denny <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> I guess what I don't understand is for those who are unhappy about the cost >> of a DVR from cable provider, why not buy a TiVo and just rent the cable >> card? I set my dad up with two of them so his cable bill isn't higher. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Apr 7, 2016, at 8:09 PM, John Robinson <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Today I received my TimeWarner bill, they have increased the DVR set top >>> boxes by $4.23 cents, to a total of $34.48, $413.76 for the year or in the >>> 10 years we have lived here to over $4,000.00…. >>> >>> Times are changing, I sent a note on 2/9/16 about the FCC’s “Unlock The >>> Box”….it’s gaining legs and the two article below give hope. The second >>> was published yesterday and at the bottom is a link for us to send our >>> approval or disapproval. Wouldn’t you think it would be in our best >>> interest for cost as well as preserving a program of importance? >>> >>> John >>> >>> >>> FCC votes to fight cable's reign over set-top boxes >>> And you could see lower monthly bills. >>> >>> 02-18-16 >>> >>> <464526214.jpg> >>> >>> >>> Last month, reports surfaced that the FCC planned to pry set-top boxes out >>> of hands of cable and satellite companies. Today, the Commission passed the >>> "Unlock the Box" plan that would do just that. The proposal aims to >>> introduce more competition when it comes to the boxes you rent from >>> television providers. As it stands, you have to lease the equipment from a >>> cable or satellite company for a monthly fee that's added to your bill. You >>> have little choice in the matter, and those fees earn service providers >>> millions of dollars a year. With the FCC plan, opening up cable boxes to >>> third parties would not only lower costs, but make it easier for pay-TV >>> subscribers to tap into internet programming like Netflix and Hulu. >>> >>> Under the new rules, cable companies would have to give third-party device >>> makers, like TiVo, the information they'd need in order to build set-top >>> boxes. This would not only provide alternatives to the hardware that >>> television providers tack on, but it's meant to drive better software >>> interfaces as well. Of course, with billions on the line for cable and >>> satellite companies, this issue is far from being resolved. >>> >>> Before today's vote, Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai noted that instead of >>> increasing competition, the FCC should be trying to kill the set-top box >>> altogether. "Right now we are en route to eliminating the need for a set >>> top box altogether and apps can turn the iPad or phone into a navigation >>> device," Pai explained. "The commission should be encouraging those >>> efforts. But this proposal would do the opposite." Bob Quinn, AT&T's SVP of >>> Federal Regulatory, agrees with Pai, calling the FCC's move "a missed >>> opportunity" and expressing concerns over companies like Google being privy >>> to consumer viewing habits. Quinn explained: >>> >>> The focus of that proceeding could have been how to eliminate the set-top >>> box while protecting content creators' incentives to develop interesting >>> programming, building upon and growing the base of minority programming >>> which exists today, and ensuring that what consumers watch on television >>> remains none of Google's business. >>> >>> Quinn went on to explain that the Commission would need to set up a >>> regulatory process to oversee the whole thing, which will take time and >>> money. "As an added bonus, the FCC will have to establish an enormous >>> regulatory infrastructure to create and oversee this new technology mandate >>> that involves the creation of new technology standards and standards >>> bodies," he said. >>> >>> The AT&T SVP argues that the policy will stifle the very innovation it >>> seeks to encourage. >>> >>> By "unlocking" the set-top box, the FCC also wants make it easier for >>> independent and diverse content providers to reach their audience. In other >>> words, the Commission wants to boost minority programming. "We hope that >>> the two proceedings launched by the FCC today will ultimately result in >>> better representation in the media for people of color and that >>> representation matters," said Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the >>> National Hispanic Media Coalition. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> <logo_full.png> >>> ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION >>> DEFENDING YOUR RIGHTS IN THE DIGITAL WORLD >>> >>> >>> APRIL 6, 2016 | BY CORY DOCTOROW AND MITCH STOLTZ >>> >>> The FCC's Plan To Unlock Your Set-Top Box Is About Competition, Not >>> Copyright >>> >>> The Federal Communications Commission is trying to open up the closed world >>> of TV set-top boxes, with the goal of finally killing that dust-gathering, >>> power-sucking box altogether. They’ve proposed a new rule known as “Unlock >>> the Box” that allows devices and apps from any manufacturer to connect with >>> your home cable or satellite TV feeds. We think the FCC’s effort has the >>> potential to unlock new competition, delivering cost savings and innovation. >>> >>> Imagine being able to search for shows and movies available on your cable >>> or satellite TV service, online services like Netflix and Amazon, and even >>> over-the-air broadcasts, all with the same search-box. Imagine being able >>> to change and customize your cable's janky interface as much as you do with >>> PCs, smartphones, and browsers, and to add new features from any source. >>> Oh, and imagine not having to pay $231 a year to rent a set-top box that's >>> really just a three-generations-stale PC in an ugly case. The FCC’s “Unlock >>> the Box” proposal might achieve all this, if we nudge the agency to do it >>> right. >>> >>> The set-top box is a frozen artifact of a bygone age whose features have >>> been caught in a time-warp of innovation-through-permission. For the past >>> 20 years, everyone who's had a cool idea for making the pay-TV experience >>> better was sent packing. If the FCC's order comes through, they'll deliver. >>> This isn’t about control over copying, but control over the entire >>> experience of TV watching, from the studio to your eyeballs, and over >>> search and discovery as well as viewing. Open competition could bring many >>> more options, like new TV interfaces that present recommendations from >>> various critics and tastemakers, or from your friends. New video devices >>> could take you straight to those shows and movies in one step, no matter >>> which of your pay-TV or Internet video services they appear on. This could >>> be a boon for niche and non-mainstream programs of all kinds. >>> >>> So, when you hear from opponents that Unlock the Box rules will violate >>> copyright, ask them: do you mean copyright, or the made-up right to tell >>> people how they're allowed to watch? >>> >>> And consider sending a comment to the FCC asking them to pass the Unlock >>> the Box rules, before April 22. (Enter "15-64" in the box labeled >>> "Proceeding Number"). >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> MacGroup mailing list >>> Posting address: [email protected] >>> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/> >>> Answers to questions: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup/> >> _______________________________________________ >> MacGroup mailing list >> Posting address: [email protected] >> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/> >> Answers to questions: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup/> > > _______________________________________________ > MacGroup mailing list > Posting address: [email protected] > Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/> > Answers to questions: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup/>
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